Israeli military kills five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza

International broadcasting outfit, Al Jazeera has announced the killing of its correspondent Anas al-Sharif and four other staff in a targeted attack on a tent in Gaza City by the Israeli Defence Force

According to the broadcasting outfit, Al-Sharif and correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal were bombed to death while they were meeting in a media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital by a drone.

Al Jazeera Media Network described the killing of the journalists as a “targeted assassination” and “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom”.

“This attack comes amid the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which has seen the relentless slaughter of civilians, forced starvation, and the obliteration of entire communities,” the network said in a statement.

“The order to assassinate Anas Al Sharif, one of Gaza’s bravest journalists, and his colleagues, is a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.”

Also, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said it is “appalled” by Israel’s killing of Al Jazeera journalists.

“Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said the CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah.

“Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable,” Qudah added.

The CPJ had last month said it was gravely concerned for the safety of al-Sharif as he was being “targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign”.

Al Jazeera said since Israel launched its war on the enclave in October 2023, it has routinely accused Palestinian journalists in Gaza of being Hamas members, as part of what rights groups say is an effort to discredit their reporting of Israeli abuses.

The media outfit which has accused Israeli authorities of fabricating evidence to link its staff to Hamas, had recently denounced Israel’s military for waging a ‘campaign of incitement’ against its reporters in the Gaza Strip, including al-Sharif. [Mahmoud Issa/Reuters]

The Israeli military has killed nearly 270 reporters and media workers since its bombardment began, including several Al Jazeera journalists and their relatives.